Transcript Technology Collaborations in Minnesota

Bringing it All Together
Integrating Local and
State Technology Initiatives with Service Delivery
Emily Cooper, Central Minnesota Legal Services
John Freeman, Minnesota Legal Services Coalition
Liz Keith, Pro Bono Net
Chuck Munson, Montana Legal Services Association
2008 Equal Justice Conference
Central Minnesota Legal Services
Road Map
• Introductions
• What is the role of technology in delivery
systems?
• Technology collaborations in Minnesota
– Who, what and how
• Spotlight on LiveHelp
PBN Mission
• Use technology to meet
need and increase
access to justice
• Increased, more effective
use of volunteers
• Facilitating collaboration
and knowledge-sharing
How can technology serve the goal
of equal justice?
What are the goals of your program?
Where can technology improve your existing tools and
strategies?
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•
•
•
•
Increase quality and quantity of client representation
Expand client education and community outreach
Assist pro se litigants
Support organizational outreach
Enhance program efficiency and management
Improve cross-program collaboration
Where have we been?
Technology use in legal aid
Technology
1997
Today?
Computer access
Desktop Internet
access and external
email
E-mail lists
Statewide client and
advocate websites
Statewide technology
coordinators
Internet usage for
research
Source: Equal Justice and the Digital Revolution, CLASP, 2002: http://www.clasp.org/publications/digital_revolution.pdf
Technology use in legal aid
Technology
1997
Computer access
Most
Desktop Internet
access and external
email
E-mail lists
< 50%
13%
Statewide client and
advocate websites
3
Statewide technology
coordinators
1
Internet usage for
research
Today?
~ 50%
Source: Equal Justice and the Digital Revolution, CLASP, 2002: http://www.clasp.org/publications/digital_revolution.pdf
Technology and Access to Justice
• LSC-funded statewide public legal information
websites in 52 states and protectorates
• 7 live public sites in non-English languages
• Contain client legal education materials, selfhelp resources, referral information
• Rapidly developing online forms, multimedia and
other interactive content
• 29 statewide sites for advocates, many
containing pro bono resources
How are these sites being used?
• LawHelp consumer sites in 2007:
– 2.7 million visitors
– 12.6 million page views
– 2.2 million resource downloads
– 628,000 referral profiles viewed
• PBN advocate sites now support 40,000
advocates around the country
• OST public and advocate sites (combined)
had 6,017,426 in 2007
How can technology serve the goal
of equal justice?
What are the goals of your program?
Where can technology improve your existing tools and
strategies?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increase quality and quantity of client representation
Expand client education and community outreach
Assist pro se litigants
Support organizational outreach
Enhance program efficiency and management
Improve cross-program collaboration
Technology Collaborations in
Minnesota
The Players
• MN Legal Services Coalition (MLSC)
• Other Legal Services Providers
• MN State Bar Association (MSBA)
– Legal Assistance to the Disadvantaged Committee
– MN Volunteer Attorney Program, Inc.
• MN Courts/Self-Help Center
• Volunteer Attorney Programs (VAPs)
• Minnesota Justice Foundation
The Players
• www.mnlegalservices.org
– Includes links to individual legal services
programs
• www.mnbar.org
• www.mncourts.gov/selfhelp
• Take a brochure!
Tools to Support Client
Representation
Minnesota's Legal Community Serving the Public Good
ProJustice Practice Areas
• What are practice areas?
• How does Minnesota utilize practice
areas?
ProJustice Practice Areas
Family Law Practice Area
• www.projusticemn.org/familylaw
Family Law Practice Area
• How to get involved in pro bono practice
Family Law Practice Area
• The Library
Eviction Defense Materials
• http://www.projusticemn.org/civillaw/library
/folder.34376
• Example of content that benefits legal
services and pro bono practitioners
statewide.
• Example of decentralized administration.
• Brings in a lot of new members.
Eviction Defense Materials
Fleeing Felon Materials
• www.projusticemn.org/benefitsrestoration
• Began as a collaboration between two law
students and a legal services attorney
• After creating/gathering content, they
wanted an easy way to make it available
• We created a specific area and URL for
the materials, and an easy way to keep
them updated vs. a handbook
Fleeing Felon Materials
Tools to Support Client Education
and Community Outreach
LawHelpMN.org
• English: www.LawHelpMN.org
• Spanish: www.LawHelpMN.org/espanol
• Features:
– Legal information resources (fact sheets,
booklets, videos, other helpful resources)
– Free legal assistance contacts
– Walk-in clinic calendars
– Court and self-help information
LawHelpMN.org Legal Resources
Child Support
LawHelpMN.org Legal Resources
Child Support
LawHelpMN.org Legal Resources
Child Support
LawHelpMN.org Legal Resources
Child Support
LawHelpMN.org Legal Help
LawHelpMN.org Legal Help
LawHelp Walk-In Clinic Calendars
LawHelp Walk-In Clinic Calendars
LawHelpMN.org Court Information
LawHelpMN.org Court Information
LawHelp Self-Help Information
Self-Help Center
Self-Help Center
Self-Help Center
Tools to Support Programmatic/
Organizational Outreach
Program Websites
Probono.net website templates
• Free website templates that are easy to
maintain.
Website workshops
•
•
•
•
Lab
Introduction to the templates
Basic HTML training and material
Consultant assistance
Workshop results
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http://centralmnvap.org/
http://illinoisfamilyfarmlawproject.org/
http://immigrantlawcenter.org/
http://lawcinc.org/
http://mnfamilyfarmlawproject.org/
http://anokajudicare.org/
Tools to Support CrossProgram Collaboration
Work Group Listservs
Pro Bono Coordinators
Stakeholder Committee Model
Statewide Technology Planning
Listservs
• 10 listservs for substantive law area “task
forces” (consumer, education,
employment, family, health care, housing,
juvenile, seniors, social security, welfare)
• Several listservs for other collaborations
(Stakeholders Committee, Training
Planning Committee, Community Legal
Education Workgroup)
Listservs
• Hosted on ProJusticeMN.org
– Encourages use of website, no ads, easier
access to support.
Pro Bono Coordinators
• Weekly updates, discussion
Stakeholders Committee
• Meet about three times a year to discuss
ProJustice and LawHelp websites, review
enhancements, set priorities
• Members include legal services staff, pro
bono attorneys/coordinators, Bar
Association staff, MN Courts staff
• Attendees can participate in person or
online/by phone, to increase statewide
participation.
Statewide Technology Planning
• Statewide Technology Planning in Legal
Services (2004 report by LSNTAP)
• Sample statewide technology plans
http://www.lstech.org/node/554
• Tech Atlas Self-Assessments
http://www.lri.lsc.gov -> TIG Program
Spotlight on LiveHelp
The LiveHelp Concept
• Provides virtual, live
assistance for Web site
visitors
• Helps visitors find
information and referrals
• Doesn’t provide legal
advice
Where is LiveHelp being used?
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•
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MontanaLawHelp.org
IowaLegalAid.org and online intake site
LawHelp.org/LA
ARLegalServices.org
GeorgiaAdvocates.org
Cross-jurisdictional test
Coming soon:
• Integration with online document assembly (MT)
• LawHelpMN.org
How does LiveHelp work?
• Use LivePerson – an ASP; have a month to
month arrangement
• Pay per seat - $150 per seat per month
• Staffed by VISTA volunteers, paralegals, interns,
attorneys, and other willing staff members
A Navigator’s Experience
• LiveHelp is good
–
–
–
–
From my view, users seem to love it
Why?
Selfish reasons
LiveHelp can be a supplement for those who need more
• LiveHelp can be a fun challenge
– e-Socratic method
– You can get pretty obscure questions at times
• My personal most reoccurring challenge
– Have to continually remind self not to advise
– At MLSA we err on the side of caution
• Let’s do a live chat now
Sample transcript
NAVIGATOR: Hello. I can help you find information about the law and legal rights. I can't give you any
legal advice or tell you what to do. Do not tell me anything confidential. You and I don't have an attorney
client relationship. The other side in your case may contact LiveHelp for more information. In that case,
we will also give him or her information. Is this okay?
VISITOR: yes
NAVIGATOR: How may I help you?
VISITOR: i want to know what is going to go on in court when i file for custody
NAVIGATOR: One moment please. I am looking for an answer.
Here is a link that gives an introduction to custody proceedings. Note that, in Montana, "custody" is
referred to as "parenting." Intro to Parenting Just give me a few more minutes and let me see if I can find
information on what will go on in the courtroom during a parenting proceeding.
Here is a link to the Montana Courts, and their information on custody. In addition to the links on the
page, there are also several books listed that deal with parenting issues. MT Courts
NAVIGATOR: Here is one more link that discusses parenting plans, as well as what the court is looking
for in a parenting plan. Parenting Plan Can I help you with anything else?
VISTOR: so far so good
LiveHelp Usage Trends
2005
2006
2007
Total
Actual Chats
36
343
618
997
Offline Emails
23
216
468
707
Total Acts of Help
59
559
1086
1704
Web (n=141)
Household Income of Chat and Web Users
Chat (n=87)
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
35%
29%
28% 28%
19%
15%
14%
10%
Under
$10,000
$10,000 to
$15,000
$15,000 to
$20,000
15%
9%
$20,000 to
25,000
LiveHelp user profiles fit generally within the
income-eligible and target populations of legal aid.
More than
$25,000
Do You Know What you Need to Do to Protect
Your Rights (Combining "Yes" and "Somewhat")
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
72%
53%
47%
Web Only (38)
28%
Yes and Somewhat
With Chat (25)
No
LiveHelp seems to increase users’ understanding of their legal problems and
what needs to be done to solve them.
Did the LiveHelp Service Make Your Use of the
Website Easier or Harder?
N=24
Harder, 0%
No
difference,
33%
Easier,
67%
Time Using Site:
More and Less than 15 Minutes
for Web Alone and Web With Chat
100%
LiveHelp significantly
increases both the extent
to which visitors are able
to find the information and
the speed with which they
are able to do so.
77%
80%
60%
48%
40%
Web Only (62)
Web and Chat (39)
52%
23%
20%
0%
Less than 15 mins
Over 15 mins
Overall, LiveHelp users are
very highly satisfied with
their LiveHelp experiences;
however, there is room for
improvement.
LiveHelp User Satisfaction Level
30%
27%
25%
20%
15%
10%
9%
12%
12%
9%
0%
Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction
level 1
level 3
level 5
level 7
level 9
Web (134)
Satisfaction Level: Web and Chat
30%
N = 83
9%
3%
5%
LiveHelp users are clearly
more satisfied than those
who use only the Web site.
8%
10%
Chat (89)
28%
27%
25%
20%
16%
12%
15%
10%
9%
4% 3%
5%
6%
8%
10%10%
8% 9%
9% 9%
12%
10%
10%
0%
Satisfaction
level 1
Satisfaction
level 3
Satisfaction
level 5
Satisfaction
level 7
Satisfaction
level 9
LiveHelp expansion possibilities
•
•
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Multi-Lingual Support
Remote staffing for self-help centers
Court-based information services
Service Finding and Online Application
Assistance
• Public legal information consortium
• Integrated Support Service for Access to
Justice Web sites
Want to know more?
• LiveHelp Pilot Project Evaluation
• LiveHelp Replication Analysis
• Training and project management
resources developed by MLSA, ILA and
PBN
• Service design and replication support
through Pro Bono Net
Thank you!
Questions? Ideas?